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04 Aug 26

The Sign on the Door: Walter Baldwin, Dream Flavors

The Sign on the Door: Walter Baldwin, Dream Flavors Eight years ago, Dream Flavors was a small trailer serving shaved ice and snowballs on the streets of Birmingham. Today, the sign is officially on the door — co-owners Walter and LaShunda Baldwin have opened their first brick-and-mortar location. As part…
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04 Aug 26

The Comeback Story: Angela Polk, At Home Auto Care

The Comeback Story: Angela Polk, At Home Auto Care Every entrepreneur has a moment that changes everything. For Lemard and Angela Polk, that moment came in 2020, when a corporate furlough during the COVID-19 pandemic became the catalyst for something entirely new. As part of BBRC’s 30 Years. 30 Stories.…
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04 Aug 26

The Founding Story

The Founding Story When the Birmingham Business Resource Center officially opened its doors on November 25, 1996, it did not appear as a polished institution with a large budget, a gleaming headquarters, or a deep staff bench. It began the way many entrepreneurial ventures begin — with limited resources, enormous…
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03 Aug 26

What Successful Small Businesses Do Differently

What Successful Small Businesses Do Differently Lessons from BBRC’s Pathways to Entrepreneurship Workshop People often ask what separates successful businesses from those that struggle.  After decades in banking, community development, and small business advising, I’ve found that the answer is usually not intelligence, education, or even access to capital.  Successful…
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03 Aug 26

The Story of the BBRC, Part 2: Thirty Years and Still Counting

The Story of the BBRC, Part 2: Thirty Years and Still Counting By Bob DickersonExecutive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) The most recent five-year period has been defined by disruption, acceleration, and redefinition. The COVID-19 pandemic did more than disrupt small businesses; it fundamentally altered how they operate, how…
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04 Jun 26

Why the Birmingham Business Resource Center Exists

Why the Birmingham Business Resource Center Exists We are in the business of helping businesses get to yes. By Bob Dickerson Executive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) In life, most people want the answer to be yes. Even as children, when we asked for candy, toys, or permission to…
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01 Jun 26

America Says It Supports Small Business.

America Says It Supports Small Business. Now It’s Time to Support the Organizations That Support Small Business. By Bob Dickerson Executive Director, Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC) For decades, Americans have heard political leaders, corporate executives, philanthropists, and economic development professionals extol the importance of small businesses. We are told…
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17 Mar 26

Let’s Talk Small Business

Let’s Talk Small Business Growth is the goal every business pursues. More customers, better revenue, a larger footprint, a stronger impact. But growing without a solid plan is risky. Ambition alone can outpace your systems, your cash flow, and your people. Growth deserves strategy—clear, doable steps you can measure, adjust,…
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04 Feb 26

BBRC Celebrates Local Business Owners

Heroism Rooted in Need, Not Notoriety Too often, entrepreneurship is celebrated only when it reaches massive scale or national visibility. But dignity, service, and sustainability matter more than headlines. Heroism in business is not rooted in notoriety—it is rooted in need. Black entrepreneurs step into gaps others overlook. They respond…
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15 Sep 25

16th Street Baptist Church Bombing

On this day, September 15, 1963, as I walked home from Sunday school, I learned that the 16th Street Baptist Church had been bombed. Birmingham still sits in this position as the ground zero for the changes that were made after the bombing. We still think about the four little…
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